Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. Isaiah 43:5-7

Spiderman takes over pre-school!

We dropped Toby off at tsitserleg this morning as usual. As usual, he was wearing his light-up Spiderman sweatshirt and his Spiderman shoes. In the coatroom two Mongolian boys were showing each other their Spiderman caps they wore to school, another boy took off his coat to reveal a Spiderman t-shirt, and one more boy in a Spiderman t-shirt came over to say hi to his friends. Did Toby start a trend or is it just the in-thing this year?

We really appreciate your prayers for Toby’s adjustment to school, especially now that Levi Liberda is in the U.S. Yesterday when we picked him up he was sitting on the rug playing alone while the other kids ate their lunch. Before we took him back today we asked him to sit down at the table with the other kids at lunchtime and to try to play with some of the kids. When we picked him up today, there he was sitting at the table with everyone else! He was wearing his exercise clothes (every Tuesday is exercise day) and he tells us he exercised AND played with some of the kids. As he was getting ready to leave, 5 or 6 girls and 1 or 2 boys came to tell him goodbye. They all know his name very well, but we’re still working on getting to know their names! Keep praying for him. It can’t be easy for him to go into a room full of kids (and teachers) who don’t speak any English, but he has a much more positive attitude now than he did just a few weeks ago. It’s all in God’s sovereign hands and we see so many signs of how He has already been working in Toby’s heart, so we rest in His promise that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. You bless us greatly when you pray for our kids– thank you all from the bottoms of our hearts!

5 comments

Toby, you are the best looking ‘Spiderman’ I have ever seen. I am glad that I can see a picture of you. The other children at preschool must like Spiderman because of you. What do you eat for lunch when you are at preschool? What are your favorite toys to play with? Could you teach me to do some exercises? If the computer could give hugs, you would get a BIG HUG from me. You are the best little Toby. I love you and pray for you and your family. All my love.

Toby, I completely agree with Grandma Linda. You are the best looking Spiderman I have ever seen. Your smile is like your Mama’s.

I’m glad you’re playing with the other children at your school. That will make the days more fun for you and for the others. Grandpa and I are proud that you are trying to obey Mamma and Daddy. We love you and we miss your great big hugs. You are the best hugger I know. Love, Granna.

Hi again – I just noticed one of those “possible links” to your blog item. It’s appropriately called, “…cause it’s easily one of the hardest things to do…” A reference from a NYC schoolteacher to the lyrics of a song by Gnarls Barclay. Lyrics as taken from the article are:

“I want to be you – whenever I see you smilin’
Cause it’s easily the hardest thing to do
Your worries and your fears become your friends
And they end up smilin’ at you
Put on a smilin’ face

So whether or not, Toby understands the song, he’s practicing the lyrics. Just like spiderman, you’re a brave boy, Toby.

Spiderman Toby looks fabulous. Could it be a coincidence he shares the same name as a certain actor? Toby, we’re praying for you. We know a boy as fun as you can make many friends in any language. The girls really miss your jokes.

Miss Michelle and I think about you both every day. We smile when we see your pictures on the computer and we say things to each other like, ” look how much they have grown!” and “Wow! look at Annika’s smile! Remember when she didn’t have any front teeth?”, and “Can you believe we held Toby in our arms as he slept in Small group just 4 and a half years ago?” We have your pictures on our refrigerator, and you no longer look like the little children you were when those pictures were taken. You are growing into interesting and beautiful young people, and we measure time by your lives. Please don’t forget us, we will not forget you.